TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 October 1922, Page 1

TELEGRAMS.

[by TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION]

COST OF ADMINISTRATION. NELSN, October .5.

Judging from the tone of the remarks made by local bodies delegates at a conference yesterday afternoon regarding the cost of public health administration in ■ Nelson, the present method is far from satisfactory. Delegates complained that their councils were not receiving value for the'; money. Dr Findlay. Medical Officer of Health •who was present, was subjected to several pointed questions. In defending the Department, Dr Findlay said tho officer in Nelson did a great deal of work which tho general public kir • little about. He was constantly giving advice on sanitary matters and enquiring into cases of infectious disease. The average cost of administration in most other districts was 8d per head of population, but the Department had levied only 6d per head in the Nelson district. Travelling expenses were responsible for more than half the cost. It was the desire of the Department to workin close co-operation with tho local bodies and an officer was always at their disposal. As a result of the conference, Dr Findlay dhid he would recommend the Department to make certain concessions which were asked for.

KAIIvOURA ARSON CASE. ARGUMENT IN COURT OF * APPEAL. - WELLINGTON, October 5. The Court of Appeal heard argument thus morning in the King v. Walk-ington-Smytlie, in which a ease has Teen stated for the Court of Appeal by Mr Justice Adams. Smythe was tried in August on a charge of arson, connected with the burning of a house at Kaiko’ura. The jury disagreed, but at the second trial Smvthe was found Utility. Evidence was tendered by the Crown at the second trial as to dealings by the accused with a motor-car tely attempted to destroy an insured tending to show that he hod deliberalorry bv running it over a cliff. The questions for the Court of Appeal were —Firstly, Was tho evidence ns to the lorry admissible? • secondly. Was there any evidence on which the jury could properly find accused guilty? Mr W. .T. Hunter, for the accused contended that the evidence ns to the motor lorry was inadmissible. It did not relate to an offence of the same nature as the charge of arson. Further the evidence as to the lorry did not amount to evidence of a criminal offence. Finally, there was no evidence of the criminal burning of the house by the prisoner. * Mr Mncgregor, the Solicitor-General for the Crown, contended that there was evidence on which the jury could convict. The circumstantial evidence of arson was extremely strong and lie contended that the evidence .is to tho attempted destruction of the motorlorry was admissible as tending to prove a scheme or system to dririiud the insurance companies. Decision was reserved. O’SHAUGHNESSY CASE. AUCKLAND, 0 truer 5 Mr O'Shnughnessy was further remanded till next Thursday in connection with Mrs Fraider’s death.

YOUTHFUL BURGLARS. AUCKLAND, Oet. 7. (in Saturday, two boys, the heads of a juvenile burglars’ club, the members of which had admitted several robberies and also the accumulation of a remarkable collection representing the proceeds of the “ profession,” appeared at the Police Court for sentence. The accused were 11 and 12. j years old, and were the sons of respectable parents. Their career of crime was attributed to the reading of trashy literature. The Magistrate, Mr Wilson .said that both hoys must receive a good thrashing. He said he could not order it without, recording a conviction against them, which he was reluctant to do. Ho said lie wanted an assurance that, the boys would get a thorough whipping by someone competent to do it. He adjourned tho ease for a fortnight, on a suggestion that such punishmentwould be inflicted by the parents, in the presence of the Probation Officer.

CANTERBURY FARMERS’ CO-OP

CHRISTCHKUH. October V. Although tho New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association of Canterbury' Ltd., has inado a loss of over £122000 on its trading operations for the year, and can pay no dividend on ordinary shares, the annual meeting to-dav was" gay rather than gloomy. There was a certain amount of criticism of tho policy followed by the directors hut it was not seriously pursued. One critic, who grew tedious, vv as ; ‘counted out,” and tho meeting carried on in high spirits, until one enthusiastic shareholder called for three cheers for the directors and officers. The meeting heartily complied. The direeors’ report and statement of accounts were adopted without dissent, and a vote of thanks to the directors and officials was carried by acclamation. In the course of the meeting, a number of shareholders spoke in high praise of the service which the Association had given to tho farmers, by (offering them liberal help throughout the slump and the succeeding financial stringency. Several declared the Association had fully justiged its existence in the past year, and that the of a dividend was a secondary matter. The manager. Mr Jamieson, said the Association had made losses by giving tun chnnes, but these men would be able to pay twenty shillings in the £ in a couple ow years’ time.